


Secure. Contain. Attack.

by Babykihyuk



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, I worked really hard plz love me, M/M, Multi, Non-Graphic Violence, Virus Outbreak AU, non-idols
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-05-17 12:59:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14832728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babykihyuk/pseuds/Babykihyuk
Summary: It's been five days since the virus outbreak, but Kihyun realizes the virus isn't the biggest problem.It's the people you are supposed to trust.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ((Name inspired by SCP ))  
> I'm bad at summaries
> 
> This would not be possible without my amazing beta reader. I appreciate all her critiques. She really improved this so much. I am really thankful for her.
> 
> Also, this was inspired by @indemnis  
> I love all of her kihyunghyuk fics so much. I am honestly garbage compared to her lol

Pulling a medical mask over his face, Kihyun glances in between Hyungwon and the door. "I'm serious. We are completely out of food, and if the military is dropping packages, we are getting one."

Hyungwon nearly shouts, "Kihyun, look at me!"

The older male glances back to see Hyungwon is sitting in the only bed they have with his left calf wrapped and propped up on books. His blue jeans are pushed up to the knee and stained with blood, along with his black t-shirt. He is only wearing one shoe on his right foot, the other shoe and sock are on the floor, where Kihyun threw them in a hurry yesterday. His face is pale and covered in dirt. His black hair is wet with sweat, making Kihyun cringe internally. It's hard to believe he was a model before everything went to hell.

Kihyun isn't much better off himself though. His white shirt is disgustingly covered in mud from crawling on the ground and it is also stained with Hyungwon's blood, but his jeans are still intact and the stains aren't obvious. It's only day five into the outbreak, but they haven't found any clothes and already ran out of food. In their defense, they didn't have much food to begin with.

"I got stabbed in the leg yesterday when we tried to check the cafeteria for food. Our safe place is in a fucking elementary school classroom, and the only reason we have a bed is because you stole it from the nurse's office. Still, you didn't get any fucking medical supplies. We are fucked, Ki. I'd rather starve than get infected."

"We don't even know what the virus does."

When everything broke out, the news made an announcement that there was a virus that transmitted by fluids. Everyone is required to stay 2 feet apart at all times, and curfew is at 9 pm. There are constant updates on the news, but Hyungwon chooses to mute it. They aren't sure what the virus actually does besides the fact that it is 100% fatal; no victims have survived passed 24 hours.

Hyungwon rolls his eyes and sits up, putting his arms behind him and leaning back on them. "It kills. Aren't you the smart one? What did you do before all this again?"

Kihyun turns away and grabs the large black duffel bag that he found in the teacher's desk yesterday. "Doctor. Well, intern. Which means I know better than you. The human body can't heal without proper nutrition, so I have to go out, Hyungwon. Besides, why do you care? We just met when all this began."

"You're the best chance I have at survival and at finding Hoseok. If you go, I'm going with you." Hyungwon turns to place his feet on the floor, wincing when he tries putting pressure on his left leg.

"No weapons, no crutches, your leg is wrapped up in my jacket and fucking tape. You're of no use to me. You'll just hold me back," Kihyun responds, paying no attention as he searches the room for something sharp.

The teacher's desk was the first thing they searched when they first decided to stay here, and they found nothing besides gum and useless things like rubber-bands and paperclips. It's in the corner of the room. The main area of the room used to be occupied by tables until they moved them in front of the door to block out intruders. Now, the center of the room only has the bed and a pillow on the floor where Kihyun sleeps. The walls are covered in education quotes and posters.

It's a fifth grade classroom, so the best thing Kihyun finds is two pairs of scissors. He sighs and shoves them in his back pocket. If they had proper weapons, they would be much better off. They have no supplies, nothing to keep them alive.

"If you get killed out there, I'd feel better dying with you. You're taking me, Kihyun. Maybe we will find Hoseok while we are out there," Hyungwon tries to say optimistically as he motions for Kihyun to come closer to help him.

Kihyun approaches him and flicks his forehead, earning a yelp from Hyungwon.

He doesn't hate Hyungwon, far from it actually. He just wants Hyungwon to be safe. It's been three days since they have been on the outside, so they have no idea what to expect besides it being terrible and unsafe. Every day they hear gunshots and screams. He'd rather risk his life than risk Hyungwon's.

"You keep talking about this Hoseok guy like he is a miracle worker, but there's nothing that can get us out of this. We need to get to the hospital. It'll be safer there. The military is handing out packages at 10 A.M. sharp. We need to be the first people there so we can get in and out and not get touched. We come back here, rest up, and head out to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning," Kihyun orders and rubs the other's forehead as some sort of half-hearted apology for hitting him.

Hyungwon pushes his hand away. "Hoseok is good at stuff like this. He could survive. Plus he is strong and intimidating, so he is our best chance at survival."

Kihyun wishes he could explain the seriousness of the situation, since it hasn't fully hit Hyungwon despite the fact that he got stabbed. Maybe it's the blood loss making him stupid, or maybe he is just like this, but Kihyun doesn't have time to waste. If they get caught in the crowd, there is a high chance of them getting infected.

"If you're coming with me, you are going to have to cover up your leg and put on a mask. Don't let anyone touch, cough, or spit on you."

"I'm not stupid."

"That's debatable," he mumbles as he grabs the other mask and hands it to Hyungwon.

Pulling the mask on, Hyungwon scoffs, "Excuse me?"

"I didn't say anything. Pull down your pants."

Kihyun really wants to hit himself in the face. A blush spreads across his cheeks in embarrassment, luckily hidden mostly by the medical mask. He definitely didn't mean it like that, but that didn't stop him from thinking about it even for just a second.

Hyungwon looks up at him with a blank stare. "I know what you meant, but if you ever say those words to me again, I won't hesitate to hit you."

Slowly and with a groan, Hyungwon pulls his jeans down over his calf and the ripped fabric of Kihyun's jacket. It's obvious there is something wrong with his leg, the bulge is pretty obvious, but it's better than showing it off to the world like an invitation to attack them. Kihyun struggles to find words to say, so he decides to stay quiet for the time being before he says something stupid again.

He hopes Hyungwon doesn't hate him or think he was hitting on him.

Besides, Kihyun would never like a guy like Hyungwon. He is a model, and he stubborn. Kihyun can only handle his own stubbornness, much less someone else's.

Hyungwon glances up at the digital clock. "It's already 9. Where are they handing out packages?"

"How well do you know this city?"

"Born and raised," he grins as he reaches for his shoe and sock to put them on.

When he is done, Kihyun crouches down and lets Hyungwon wrap an arm around his shoulder for support on his left side. "City hall. Hope you can walk well enough."

Grunting, the model stands up and lets go of Kihyun. "I can walk. Just hurts like hell. I don't need your help." He pushes past Kihyun and walks towards the door. "Come Mr. Strong, we have to move the tables at some point today."

One by one, they take the tables and set them in the center of the room, clearing the way to the door. Kihyun glances back at the room, wondering if they will ever live to see this place again. He guesses the walk to the city hall will take forty-five minutes considering Hyungwon's condition, as long as he doesn't give up halfway through. He isn't sure if the other will be well enough to make the trip back. The wound was deep, cutting through the muscle. It can't be comfortable to walk with it, much less run if they get caught up in something.

The younger snatches the bag from Kihyun's hand. "Stop thinking so much. Do you want to be the last one to get a package?"

Instead of responding, Kihyun opens the door and sticks his head out. The hallways seem long and endless, but at least they are empty. Every classroom door appears to be closed, either containing people, locked, or already scavenged of supplies. Kihyun knows well enough that if they go left, they will end up at the cafeteria, probably to end up getting hurt again. Going right would lead them to the main entrance, and that is the last thing he wants.

"Follow my lead, Hyungwon."

Hyungwon snorts. "Next, are you going to ask to hold hands so we don't get lost?"

Kihyun elbows him and leaves the classroom, shutting the door behind Hyungwon. Quietly, they creep down the hallway directly in front of them that eventually leads to the gym. In the gym, there should be a backdoor. At least, that's Kihyun's hope.

They have to keep at a slow pace for Hyungwon, which takes up even more time, but they manage to reach the double doors that lead into the gym. Kihyun puts his ear against the door to listen to any activity as he feels Hyungwon practically flat against his back.

If he wasn't so scared, he would joke about Hyungwon being a baby, but Kihyun is terrified of getting hurt, or worse.

He counts to thirty before deciding it's safe to enter. He pushes the door open and scans the area.

As he suspected, it's empty of human activity. There are a few basketballs scattered on the floor, but there are no signs of people. A basketball net is set up on the wall and jump ropes lie on the floor. Kihyun guesses someone was here at one point, but like a smart person, they moved on to somewhere safer.

More importantly, right across the room from them is a clear glass door leading out to the back parking lot.

Kihyun doesn't ask before heading straight towards it, but he does glance back at Hyungwon to make sure he is following. "Hey, it's gonna be really hot outside since it's June. Be careful of overheating. The last thing I need is to be carrying your unconscious body through the streets." He stops and reaches into his back pocket, grabbing one of the pairs of scissors. "Just in case."

Hyungwon takes them with a nod. "Thanks."

Together, they step into the parking lot, the sun is beaming down on them just like Kihyun expected. Immediately, it feels incredibly hot, and it's not even the hottest part of the day yet.

"No matter what, you never take off your mask, okay?" Kihyun tells him. "And, I know we are supposed to stay two feet apart, but please, I'd feel better if you held onto my hand. If we get separated, we might never see each other again."

"I wish we never saw each other again," Hyungwon huffs, but he still takes Kihyun's small hand, intertwining their fingers and squeezes. "If we are still alive when the virus is cured, I'm beating your ass for making me hold you hand like a baby."

Kihyun leads the way, and like he feared, the streets are terribly crowded. There are police officers and members of the army yelling at them to stay two feet apart the closer they approach, but everyone around is rushing to be the first in line.

Everyone seems to be just as bad off as they are. Their clothes are covered in dirt, and they look homeless. Most of them are, because they don't feel safe trapped in their own homes, or their homes are outside of the city. It's easy to tell the late stages of the infected apart from everyone else, though. They cough up blood and have blood shot eyes. Bodies litter the outer edges of the streets since people didn't know what to do with the dead.

"Don't look, Hyungwon," Kihyun says softly, squeezing his hand tightly.

He can handle this better because he has seen dead people before. He has seen people in pain and dying in hospitals, but how is Hyungwon supposed to cope? What are you supposed to do if everyone around you is dying, begging for help? Kihyun wishes he could shield his new friend from this world, but he can't hide him from reality. The death, the blood, the terrible thing that's taken over their city is completely real. They have no control. All they can do is fight to survive.

Kihyun stumbles back when Hyungwon stops walking. He turns back to yell before he sees Hyungwon staring at a body. He follows Hyungwon's line of vision, staring at a woman on the ground, covered in blood tainting her dress. Even though she is dead, her eyes are still open, unmoving.

"Hey, we-"

Hyungwon attempts to let go of Kihyun's hand and run, but his efforts are in vain. "Let me go! Stop it! You don't even know me."

"Hey, even if I don't know you, I do know that if you touch that body, you will become infected too, so you need to stop thinking so irrationally," Kihyun tries to say calmly to deescalate the situation. "She isn't a person anymore."

People began glancing at them yelling in the middle of the streets, so Kihyun lowers his voice. "I'm sure it was someone you loved, but do you think they would want you to get sick because they were sick? Hyungwon, fucking look at me!"

Watery eyes meet Kihyun's own. "That's my mom. She was out there all along. I should have looked for her. I should have-"

He is cut off by someone grabbing his arm. Kihyun watches in horror as a man with blood trickling down from his mouth, wearing ruined clothes, tries to pry the bag from Hyungwon's arm, mumbling incoherent words.

Kihyun feels frozen in place. He even lets go of Hyungwon's hand. He has never been so close to one of the infected before; his brain seems to completely stop working as he watches Hyungwon fight off the man, trying to pry his fingers off the bag. Hyungwon is shouting at him in a shaky voice, but it all feels so distant, like everything is in slow motion.

The man coughs quite violently, letting of Hyungwon and coughing blood all over his shirt.

"Hyungwon!" Kihyun shouts in horror, watching as Hyungwon lets go of the bag and becomes pale.

"K-Kihyun. A-am I going to d-d-die?" Hyungwon stares at him with wide eyes, tears streaming down his face and sliding under the medical mask.

Kihyun doesn't even think before raising his fist and punching the man in the jaw, causing him to stumble down. He doesn't even think about the blood on his hand or the fact that he just touched an infected man. He just turns back to Hyungwon in pure horror.

Hyungwon takes a step back. "Kihyun, you fucking idiot! You just punched someone who was infected," he practically cries. "Why did you do that? What if we both die now?"

Kihyun grabs a fistful of Hyungwon's shirt to bring him close. "We're going to be fine, Hyungwon. You're going to be fine. I'm going to be fine. Now, let's go get the package, yeah?"

With shaky hands, Hyungwon takes Kihyun's hand that's covered in blood. "You have blood on you, Kihyun."

It hits him slowly, but when it does, he quickly grabs Hyungwon's shirt and rips it off and cleans the blood from his hand. "We need to find a shower right now. If his blood manages to get in our system, it's all over. We have twenty four hours before we become just like them. Where is the nearest gym?"

Hyungwon blinks and slowly begins walking. Kihyun follows him, yelling at anyone who even tries to get close to them. "We're gonna be just fine. We are fine. Blood didn't get into our bodies through eyes, nose, or mouth. We are fine."

Kihyun is really just trying to convince himself that.

The nearest gym ends up being fairly close and luckily unlocked. Kihyun feels like things are finally looking up for them, until they enter the building and someone comes out from the backroom with a gun in hand.

It's a buff man, wide, and completely bigger than Kihyun. He is wearing a black tank top, medical mask, and jeans. His hair is bleached blonde, pushed away from his forehead. Kihyun doesn't have the time to check him out though because his eyes are more focused on the gun pointing at his head.

Before he can speak, Hyungwon does.

"Hoseok? Is that really you?" He says in disbelief.

Slowly, Hoseok lowers the gun and puts it in the holster on his belt. "Hyungwon. You're alive. Oh my god, and who is this?"

"Kihyun. I'm 26 and a doctor," he answers for himself.

Hyungwon steps back when Hoseok begins to approach. "We need spare clothes. And to borrow the shower. And kinda a place to stay. And food..."

"Would you like to explain?"

"We got blood on us."

Hoseok sighs. "Hyungwon, you idiot. Go shower, I'll bring some clothes in, and I'll talk to my group when they get back.”

Hyungwon turns to Kihyun. "I guess it's a good thing I came with you."

"I hate you."

 

* * *

 

Kihyun finishes getting dressed, pulling the shirt over his head, and sighs, sitting down on the bench next to Hyungwon. He feels refreshed now that he finally has clean clothes on, but he is still scared that he is infected. He glances around him, getting a good look. There are two benches, three showers with curtains, and two bathroom stalls. Overall, it's an okay place, but Kihyun would really like to be somewhere else.

He is thankful that Hoseok gave them both new jeans and black shirts just so it's less obvious if they are stained. Part of him is glad that Hyungwon came, but he also might die so there's that.

"Hey, Hyungwon," he says softly. "This Hoseok guy...do you trust him? Like, really trust him?"

"More than anyone. He was my manager. He wrapped up my leg after I showered, Kihyun. He cares a lot."

Kihyun stares down at his clasped hands in his lap. "Then I trust him too."

"I'm sorry I got us into this mess by freezing up. It's just-"

"You don't see your loved ones dead on the street everyday. I get it. We'll be okay," Kihyun pats Hyungwon's leg. "Why don't we get some rest? We didn't get much sleep last night after you got stabbed anyways. I was too worried about your leg."

Hyungwon leans his head on Kihyun's shoulder as Kihyun wraps an arm around him. "How do you openly trust strangers? Why are you worried about me even though we met only a few days ago?"

Kihyun smiles sadly. "I have no one else. I just- I have a weird thing where I need to have someone that needs me, and it's easy with you. It's why I became a doctor."

"I would hit you for calling me needy if I wasn't so tired."

"You can hit me later," Kihyun mumbles, closing his eyes and resting his head on top of Hyungwon's.

He is really glad he met Hyungwon.

 

* * *

 

 

A knock on the door wakes Kihyun up. He lifts his head to see Hoseok walking in with a red haired man following him. Hoseok sets some clothes on the other bench.

"Hyungwon," Kihyun elbows his side.

It does the job of waking him up, surprisingly. "What?"

"Guys, this is Minhyuk. Minhyuk, these are Kihyun and Hyungwon. I spoke with the other three people in my group, and we decided that you three will be quarantined for twenty four hours to ensure you aren't infected before you will be allowed to join us." Without a word, Hoseok leaves, and the sound of the door locking is heard.

Minhyuk smiles, and Kihyun is pretty sure he almost went blind. "Guess I'll go take a shower and then we can have storytime?"

Kihyun doesn't answer. He just watches as Minhyuk heads towards the showers.

"Hyungwon, this was not part of the plan."

The other yawns. "Neither was getting covered in blood or punching someone, but look at us now. Hoseok doesn't just trust anyone, Kihyun. I'm sure it's someone he knows and trusts."

Somehow, Kihyun doubts that.

They wait mostly in silence, anticipating Minhyuk's return, until he finally walks up with a towel around his waist and then changes right in front of them.

"What the hell? Do you not have human decency?" Kihyun yells.

"What? We are all men," Minhyuk shrugs, pulling his pants over underwear and finally putting on a shirt. "Anyways, now a proper introduction. Lee Minhyuk. 26."

"Yoo Kihyun. I was an intern at a hospital before everything went to hell."

"Chae Hyungwon. 23. I was a model."

Minhyuk grins and sits down on the other bench. "Oh, well I guess I should tell you that I was photographer."

Kihyun sighs. "That's not what matters. Why are you here?"

"Not infected, just covered in bloody clothes, so Hoseok wanted to make sure I wasn't gonna kill everyone. I might have stole four packages from the military in exchange for shelter and friendship here..."

"Why here?" Kihyun raises his voice. "Why Hoseok?"

"Fate, maybe."

It's not hard for Kihyun to decide he hates Minhyuk. He feels like he is keeping something from them. It's too mysterious to just show up out of nowhere and just happen to appear at the same time as Kihyun and Hyungwon. He isn't trustworthy, especially if he steals from the military, of all people.

Why would he just happen to choose this gym of all places? There are other gyms. There are other people willing to accept four packages. What is so special about this place?

Or is it the people?

"I'm only staying here a few days before I head to the hospital. It'll be safe there," Kihyun tells him.

"Safer? Listen, I know I'm not the brightest of the bunch, but I hate to tell you that nothing in this place is safe. There are no safe places. You sit. You sleep. You wait. You rot. This disease isn't something that's going to disappear in a week. Have you seen all the dead bodies out there? You think the hospital is going to be safer than a place with guns?"

Hyungwon interjects, "He is right, Kihyun. We are better off with more people, especially people like Hoseok."

"Fine, then I'll just leave the city," Kihyun crosses his arms.

Minhyuk frowns. "The city has been sealed, Kihyun. There is an electric barrier around it. The only people that can pass through are the military and police. It's unfair, but we just have to wait it out."

"And what the hell do you know? What do you know about me, about this virus? Why do you know so much more than everyone else? Care to tell?"

"If I don't know anything about you, then why don't you tell, hm? We have twenty three hours left. Plenty of time."

Kihyun hates him.

Kihyun hates Minhyuk so much.

 

* * *

 

"And that was the time that I lit my shirt on fire," Minhyuk finishes his very long and overly complicated story. "It's someone else's turn to tell a story or choose a topic."

Hyungwon grins, "I got my legged stabbed by a gang member because Kihyun was too scared to defend himself."

"I punched someone for you!" Kihyun glares. "We've exhausted so many topics. I know too many things about Minhyuk, please get him to stop talking. I don't need to know about the time his cat put her foot in his milk or that his mom's friend's kid's favorite color is aquamarine."

Minhyuk shrugs. "Do you have any ideas then?"

"Do you think, do you think we will outlive the virus? Will there be a cure?" Hyungwon asks as he sits down on the floor, leaning against the wall.

"I hope so, but I'm not sure. When I was a kid, my mom used to tell me to always stay optimistic no matter the circumstances, so I really hope so. All of my friends are already dead. I don't think we can ever truly go back to normal. We just have to make the best of what we have."

"What we have is absolutely nothing," Kihyun mumbles.

"We have an opportunity to make friends, and that's the best answer I can give you."

Kihyun looks at Hyungwon before looking at Minhyuk, and he feels his heart sink. That's not the way strangers should be staring at each other.

But Kihyun is fine.

So fine.

He doesn't like Hyungwon. He can't like Hyungwon. Hyungwon is a pretty model, someone who deserves everything, but Kihyun doesn't deserve anything. He has hurt so many people, made so many mistakes.

If Minhyuk and Hyungwon want to fall in love, then he is okay with that.

It's fine.

 

* * *

 

Hoseok finally opens the door just when Kihyun is about to strangle Minhyuk for not being quiet, but then he announces they are being released. Then, he approaches Hyungwon and hugs him.

"I'm glad you're not infected, Won. I don't think I'd be able to deal with your dead body. You ready to go meet the other members?"

Together, they all walk into the main area where gym equipment has been pushed off to the sides, clearing space for two beds and blankets. There is another door in the corner that leads to what looks like a weight-lifting room.

There are three other people on the floor. One is nearly as buff as Hoseok, the second one is blonde and more on the smaller side wearing a big blue hoodie, and the last one...

Kihyun knows him.

"Kihyun," he says in awe. "Kihyun, I'm so glad you're alive."

Kihyun's knees feel weak and he wants to cry. He shouldn't be here. He needs to leave right now. This shouldn't be happening. How is the last person he wanted to see here right in front of him?

"Kyun."

Changkyun still looks small, but his black hair being parted makes him look older, especially without a big hoodie hiding him. Kihyun is amazed how well he looks, how healthy he seems.

"Kihyun, I didn't-"

"We can talk later. Alone."

Hoseok clears his throat. "This is Hyunwoo, Jooheon, and Changkyun, but Hyunwoo and Jooheon are planning on taking a package together and leaving us soon to search for their families. I see Changkyun and Kihyun already know each other." He motions to the other side of the room. "Kihyun, Hyungwon, and Minhyuk. Welcome to your new home I guess."

Kihyun clenches his fists.

He has to leave.

 

* * *

 

Kihyun closes his eyes in an attempt to sleep despite the fact that he is back to sleeping on the floor. Still, at least he has a roof over his head, so there's an up side. His brain is filled with worries and questions, but they can wait for another day.

"Kihyun," he hears a soft whisper.

Annoyed, Kihyun opens his eyes to see Minhyuk lying next to him without a blanket. On the other side of Minhyuk, Hyungwon is in a bed, fast asleep with Hoseok.

"You don't have a pillow, and I don't have a blanket, so why don't we share?" Minhyuk suggests with a grin.

Kihyun frowns. "Seriously?"

"Always."

He temporarily weighs his pros and cons. On one hand, he would be able to sleep better with a pillow, but it would be with Minhyuk. He would have to sleep very close to the person he hates most in this world besides Changkyun.

Hesitantly, Kihyun moves closer to Minhyuk and turns around before resting his head on the pillow. He feels Minhyuk pull the blanket over both of them, but the worst part is his breath on the back of Kihyun's neck. He wants to move or leave or just do something, but he doesn't change positions.

"Minhyuk," Kihyun says slowly. "I don't think you are who you say you are."

Kihyun feels a nose against his neck. "Why can't you just trust me?"

"You can’t just show up out of nowhere. These things don't just happen. Something is up. You know something you aren't letting on, and I'm going to figure out what it is."

"Let me know when you figure out whatever you think I'm hiding, Yoo Kihyun. For now, I'll just go to sleep."

Kihyun feels frozen in place, and he can't close his eyes. He doesn't trust Minhyuk, no matter how likable he tries to make himself seem. How can he sleep next to the man?

He has to find a way to get Hyungwon to leave with him and go to the hospital.

He has to.

 

* * *

 

The next morning comes surprisingly soon. Kihyun wakes up with the pillow under his head and the blanket over him, but Minhyuk isn't pressed against him. In fact, when Kihyun sits up and looks around, he doesn't see Minhyuk anywhere. The room is almost entirely empty besides Changkyun sitting in the corner, watching him.

"Kyun."

His voice is raspy, doesn't even sound like his own if he is honest. Last night was the best he slept since everything fell apart, but how long was he asleep?

Where is everyone?

"Kihyun, it's been a while, huh?" Changkyun averts his eyes and stares at the wall.

He scoffs, "Not long enough."

"It wasn't my fault. How many times do I have to tell you that you weren't completely innocent? It takes two to break up."

With a huff, Kihyun stands up. Changkyun hasn't changed at all. He still doesn't accept the fact that he was at fault. He throws the blame on everyone else. Changkyun was always like that; never blaming himself even if he was wrong.

It takes two to break up.

It also takes two to cheat on your husband.

"I told you I was focusing on my studies, but you just couldn't handle that? Couldn't handle the fact that the world isn't about you? We were married, Changkyun. We agreed to spend the rest of our lives together no matter what! Why did you just throw that all away? Why would you do that?" Kihyun clenches his fists.

He wants to punch Changkyun. It's what he deserves after all. How is it fair to ruin something and blame it on Kihyun? His romantic feelings for Changkyun have died. All that's left is anger and sadness. Maybe a bit of regret.

If he hadn’t focused on school, would they still be married? Would Changkyun have cheated?

Changkyun stands up and stomps towards Kihyun. "It was always you. It was Kihyun and his studies, and then maybe he had a little time for his husband who worked his ass off to keep food on the table and a roof over their head. It was you. It was always you, Ki."

While Kihyun studied, Changkyun was juggling two jobs to keep their apartment. He has a point; Kihyun never had time. Changkyun was home at odd hours, and Kihyun was usually studying to get through medical school. He was always willing to work overtime to make sure Kihyun didn't have to get a job.

"Listen very closely to me, Changkyun. You will not tell anyone we were ever married, and you will not even think about touching even a hair on Hyungwon's head. Do you understand me?"

Changkyun rolls his eyes. "New boy toy?"

He can't even help himself when he suddenly raises his clenched fist and punches Changkyun as hard as he can. The younger stumbles back before falling down, looking up at Kihyun with a surprised expression. Kihyun doesn't pity him, doesn't care that blood is dripping from his nose.

It's what he deserves.

"What I do now is none of your business. Hyungwon is my friend, and I won't hesitate to kill you if you touch him. The disease isn't the worst thing that can fuck you up here, Changkyun," Kihyun growls, moving his foot to put pressure on his hand.

The younger screams, loud. Too loud. "Stop, okay!!!"

Kihyun moves his foot. "Do you understand? Because if you don't, I swear to-"

The voice Kihyun hates most interrupts him. "Kihyun? What's going on in here?"

Kihyun steps back and turns to look at Minhyuk. He is standing, leaning on the doorway that leads to the weight room, where everyone else is presumably at. His eyes switch from looking at Kihyun and Changkyun, but he is smart enough not to say anything.

"Everyone else is eating breakfast," he continues. "Hyunwoo and Jooheon just left."

"Why don't we go eat, Kyun?" Kihyun manages to say through his teeth, jaw clenched in anger.

The younger male stands up and makes his way out, pushing past Minhyuk as the other walks closer to Kihyun.

"Are you sure it's not you who is hiding something?" Minhyuk tilts his head slightly and smiles.

Kihyun chooses to be the bigger person and not respond; he passes by Minhyuk and enters the weight room with a sigh. He finds Changkyun, Hyungwon, and Hoseok talking, and in the middle of them is one of the packages. Curious, Kihyun approaches.

"What is in it?"

Hyungwon glances back at him and smiles. "Glad you're awake. It's full of precooked food, water, and wraps for bandages. They included two medical masks, which is good. Oh, and there is the smallest thing of matches, but it's not nearly as important."

"No weapons?" Kihyun frowns in disappointment.

How are they supposed to survive without weapons? Between five of them, they have two pairs of scissors and a gun. When Kihyun leaves, he plans on taking them with him. He obviously can't stay, not with Changkyun here too. That would leave the three (possibly four if Hyungwon doesn’t leave) remaining people without weapons. He doesn't particularly like them, but he doesn't want them to die.

Well, he kind of wants Minhyuk to die, but that's besides the point.

"Nothing," Hoseok sighs. "Someone needs to go out scouting for weapons, gloves, and whatever the hell that could help us in this hell. But we can worry about that later. Let's eat now. You must be starving!"

Despite not eating for two days, Kihyun doesn't feel hungry. He feels sick and unwell. Here these people are being nice and welcoming, and he is about to fuck them over by stealing packages and running away. How is that right?

"Yeah," Kihyun glances at Minhyuk and throws him a glare.

"Minhyuk, you can sit by me!" Hyungwon grins.

Kihyun wants to punch Minhyuk in the nose until it breaks.

 

* * *

 

"Hyungwon, can I talk to you? Alone?" Kihyun calls softly in the darkness.

The other male stands up from the bed. "You're lucky I'm still awake."

Kihyun doesn't respond. He just grabs Hyungwon's hand and drags him into the bathroom with the showers. Hyungwon stumbles back when Kihyun releases his hand. He stares back, confused.

Hyungwon looks really pretty, Kihyun thinks. His hair is pushed away from his forehead, and he is wearing simple clothes. Still, Kihyun now sees why he is a model. Naturally he is stunning. From his thin body to his big eyes, he is beautiful. If they weren’t in this situation, they would have probably never met. Hyungwon would have stayed with upper class people who are nearly famous, and Kihyun wouldn’t have strayed from his studies.

"Kihyun," Hyungwon says softly to bring him out of his thoughts. "What?"

"We need to go to the hospital. Since we met, it's been you and me, it's always been you and me, so you'll come, right? It'll be safer for you. For us."

Kihyun feels scared when Hyungwon steps back and rests his back on the opposite wall, crossing his arms. All Kihyun has done is protect him! Does Hyungwon not want to come with him after all? After everything?

"Kihyun." He pauses, leaning his head back and staring up at the ceiling. "Hoseok is here. I'm safe with Hoseok. I'd rather die by his side then be safe somewhere out there, not knowing if my best friend is dead or alive. I'm not sure what sort of impression I was giving off, but I thought you knew that I was sticking with Hoseok when we found him. I...Why don't you stay with us? I want you here. I'd feel better if you were here with me."

"I can't do that, Hyungwon. I can't sacrifice what I want just because you-"

It feels like his arguments with Changkyun all over again. Neither of them ever wanted to give in. They both wanted what they wanted, and Kihyun was never willing to sacrifice anything. How could he?

He is too stubborn, too self-obsessed.

He feels sick.

"I-I'm sorry. You're right."

Maybe sacrificing his wishes now doesn't change the fact that he lost his husband, but maybe it'll prevent Kihyun from losing someone else. He made a mistake back then, but didn't it help him learn? Sometimes you have to sacrifice things for other people. You can't always win.

He continues, "I'll stay, Hyungwon. I'll go wherever you go, but can I ask for something?"

Hyungwon's eyes light up. "Anything."

Kihyun struggles to choose his words. If he phrases this wrong, Hyungwon might misinterpret what he is trying to say. He could lose a friend or just upset him. Regardless, it has to be done.

"Don't trust Minhyuk. He is hiding something, I know it."

"He is nice," Hyungwon counters. "He hasn’t done anything wrong."

"You don't just appear out of nowhere, Won. He wants someone or something."

"Don't we all?"

Kihyun slams his fist against the wall. "Will you just listen to me!? I don't trust him, so don't get too close to him! That's all I'm saying. That's it."

"Okay. We are going out to get weapons tomorrow. I think you should stay back and clear your head. Minhyuk, Hoseok, and I will be just fine. I won't get close to him," Hyungwon begins walking towards the door. "Goodnight, Kihyun."

As Hyungwon leaves, Kihyun really feels like he is missing something. Maybe he is just oblivious, but it feels like something is going on with Hyungwon.

That's not nearly as important as the fact that Changkyun and Kihyun will be alone in a building for the first time in a year.

He wants to slam his head against the wall in frustration. Just what has he gotten himself into?

 

* * *

 

"We are heading out!" Minhyuk calls from the entrance.

Hyungwon pats his shoulder. "I think they know. Trust me, Kihyun checked six times to make sure I had a mask."

Hoseok, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon are prepared to go outside, equipped only with two pairs of scissors, a gun, and medical masks to protect them from the infected. It's far from ideal, but it's all that they have. Kihyun made sure they ate a healthy breakfast before they left, and he sent them with a water bottle.

Hyungwon follows Hoseok out of the gym and outside, closing the door when Minhyuk follows him. "What's the plan?"

"Do you want the truth? Because Won, there is no plan. We walk, look for houses that aren't filled with people, and we search them. That's all we can do. I never said that it was going to be easy," Hoseok says, leading them down the road.

"So," Minhyuk elbows Hyungwon. "Tell me, are you and Kihyun a thing? You guys whisper quite a lot."

Hyungwon's face suddenly turns red. "Kihyun!? No! We are close friends."

It's true, they are just friends. Hyungwon doesn't even like Kihyun like that. Sure, he is good looking, but Hyungwon thinks they would bicker too much to actually have a relationship. He doesn't have romantic feelings for Kihyun, only platonic.

Besides, he is pretty sure he might have the tiniest crush on Minhyuk.

He could have gone into modeling. His face is flawless, and Hyungwon could cut himself on his jawline. He is fairly average in terms of height, his small legs make him look taller. He makes casual clothes look runway worthy.

In other words, Hyungwon is kinda whipped for this guy.

Minhyuk raises his eyebrows. "Yeah…close friends. Well, I don't know what that guy says about me, but whatever he says, don't believe him. He doesn't trust me just because he is an asshole."

"Kihyun is…difficult. Don't hold it against him. It's just how he is. He will come around. He didn't like me at first either," Hyungwon tells him, glancing around at the empty streets.

"This isn't a world you can afford to not trust the people you're with. I just met you, but I trust you to not murder me."

The conversation falls silent, mostly because people are slowly coming out of their homes. They have to be alert.

Eventually, Hoseok leads them up an empty driveway. The house is small and older looking, and the grass is way overgrown. It looks like it was abandoned before everything went to hell. Luckily, it also looks like it hasn't been searched yet.

To their surprise, when Hoseok turns the handle, the door opens. He pushes it, revealing a living room. A black, scratched up leather couch sits in front of a large TV. Oddly, the TV is still on the news. A doctor is on the screen, talking about the disease.

"Be cautious. The door was unlocked," Hoseok whispers. "You guys check out the bedroom, and I'll look in the kitchen and bathroom. Grab gloves, medicine, and weapons. Oh, and if you see a backpack, grab it too."

Hyungwon wants to protest, but before he gets the chance, Minhyuk is tugging at his hand and dragging him down the hallway.

The bedroom door is already open, and it's clear that no human has been here in a while. The room is simple looking. There is a queen bed against the wall, a nightstand next to it, and a dresser across the room. In addition, there is a computer on a desk. It's outdated, probably from 2010 if Hyungwon had to guess.

Curious, he hits the "On" button. As he guessed, nothing happens.

"God, this place is awful," Minhyuk sighs.

The older man strolls over to the nightstand and opens the drawer. Averting his eyes, Hyungwon walks over to open the closet.

He is met with dust almost getting in his eyes. Luckily, the medical mask prevents it from getting in his mouth, but he is still upset because dust is in his eyes and he can't rub them. If he did, he risks getting infected.

The closet is filled with clothes dangling from hangers. Upon further inspection, the clothes probably belonged to an older woman. At the bottom of the closet is a wooden box.

At least things are looking up a bit even though he can barely see and tears are falling from his eyes from the dust.

He crouches down and easily opens the box. He feels lucky when he finds a small handgun with a box of bullets.

Then, he remembers he has no idea how to shoot a gun.

"Minhyuk," he calls. "There is a gun in here."

Hyungwon pulls it out and grabs the box of bullets before standing up and going to sit on the bed. Minhyuk is still searching through the nightstand. He had thrown a few things on the bed: four bottles of medicine and a pocket knife.

Curious, Hyungwon picks up the bottles. He isn't sure what the medicine is even for, but Kihyun probably knows since he is a doctor, right? He'll have to ask when they return.

If they return.

  
Adriamycin

Bleomycin

Vinblastine

Dacarbazine

  
"Man, this woman had some issues," Hyungwon mumbles.

"What do you mean?" Minhyuk asks.

"This medicine is probably useless, I mean, but we will take it to Kihyun anyways."

Minhyuk tosses another pill bottle on the bed. "Oxycontin." He stands up. "Alright, let's go."

"That's it? We barely searched the place."

"Fine, then check the drawers for gloves. We found two weapons. I think it's good enough for today. It took us forever to walk here in the first place."

Hyungwon stares at Minhyuk for a second, studying him. "Okay."

He stands up and walks over to the dresser. Unsurprisingly, he finds nothing useful besides another bottle of pills. It's a different bottle, not the typical plastic. The bottle is glass and dark colored.

"Minhyuk," Hyungwon says slowly, as he reads the label.

"Yeah?"

"How did an old woman get ahold of cyanide pills?"

"The fuck?"

Minhyuk practically stomps over and snatches the bottle from Hyungwon's hand. His eyes go wide, but he still carries them back to the bed and sets them down.

Hyungwon gives him a confused look. "Why would we-"

"You just never know, Hyungwon, okay? You just never know. Now, go check the hallway closet for a bag, let's pack up, grab Hoseok, and get the hell outta here."

Minhyuk is definitely suspicious. Kihyun was right.

 

* * *

 

"Are you kidding? No antibiotics? Nothing useful?" Kihyun stares down at everything they brought back.

In addition to the pills, knife, and gun Minhyuk and Hyungwon found, Hoseok found water bottles, bandaids, and hydrogen peroxide. Kihyun was unimpressed due to the fact that they had so little medical supplies. Not that they are planning on getting hurt, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Hyungwon sits down next to Kihyun, looking into the bag full of supplies. "What about the medicine?"

"Medicine for lymphoma." He sighs in frustration. "At least you grabbed oxycontin."

Hyungwon stares up at Minhyuk and then the bag.

One thing is missing.

The cyanide pills.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi this wouldn't be possible without my amazing beta. Thank you for making sense of my writing.

"I don't trust him, Won. I just don't," Kihyun says as he stares into the bathroom mirror.

Hyungwon glances between Kihyun and the door. He has to tell Kihyun about the pills at one point, but he needs to do it alone. He can't risk Hoseok kicking Minhyuk out on the streets in fear of getting killed. Besides, he doesn't know for sure that Minhyuk is even going to use them. There is no proof that he has plans of committing murder. They can't constantly jump to conclusions, right? 

"He helped a lot today."

Kihyun huffs, "The medicine you brought back can just be thrown in the trash. The only useful thing is painkillers. In fact, make Minhyuk throw them out."

"Isn't that a bit harsh? Can't they be used for something?"

"Unless you have a disease. I wish you would stop second guessing me," he turns around and stares at Hyungwon. "I know what I am doing."

"Kihyun, I-"

The elder continues, "And if you think you know everything, why don't you take care of yourself? When I found you, you were confused and scared. You wouldn't have lasted two days longer. If you want to be friends with Minhyuk, by all means, do it. But once he goes behind your back and fucks everything up, don't come bother me."

He didn't want to anger Kihyun, or even make him wonder where his loyalty lied. He is loyal; if he had to choose between Minhyuk and Kihyun, he wouldn't hesitate to choose the one he has known longer. Minhyuk is new and suspicious, but they just can't assume he is a bad person.

Innocent until proven guilty, right?

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Kihyun."

In hope of a lightweight atmosphere, Hyungwon exits the bathroom and makes his way to the main area, where pillows and blankets lie scattered on the floor. Changkyun and Hoseok are already fast asleep in the only two beds they have, and Minhyuk is sitting on the ground hugging his knees close to his chest.

The sight isn't promising.

After weighing the pros and cons, Hyungwon finally sits next to him. "What's going on?"

"Fever," Minhyuk says softly.

Hesitantly, Hyungwon touches Minhyuk's forehead with the back of his hand. He is hot and sweaty despite the fact that there is air conditioning in the building. He pulls his hand back and frowns.

"A cold in the summer?"

The older male shrugs. "It's fine. Don't worry about me. How is Kihyun? He seemed angry earlier." He shivers.

Hyungwon pulls the blanket tighter around Minhyuk's shoulders. "He is just angry about the lack of supplies." He pauses. "Why don't you go to sleep?"

Minhyuk slowly releases his knees and leans back, settling on a pillow. He positions the blanket so that it’s covering him better. Like this, he looks fragile and innocent. He struggles to keep his eyes open and shivers again.

Hyungwon speaks again as he brushes Minhyuk's bangs away from his forehead, "I'll have Kihyun check up on you in a bit. Even if it's just a cold, it's better to be checked."

He hears footsteps from behind, and he turns to see Kihyun standing there, eyes wide with fear.

“Hyungwon,” the elder struggles to stay calm. “Step back and do not touch him.”

“It's just a cold. He is fine. He wasn't around any of the infected, so stop worrying.”

Without warning, Kihyun storms over and pulls Hyungwon up by the back of his shirt. The younger turns around to face him, stumbling a bit.

Kihyun grabs Hyungwon’s shirt again and brings him closer. “We don't know that. Maybe he went out why we weren't looking. How can you trust him? He could be infected!”

“M-Minhyuk’s infected?” Changkyun asks softly behind them as he sits up on the bed.

“Are you fucking with me?” Minhyuk groans tiredly. “I'm not infected. It's a fever, nothing more. Am I coughing up blood?”

“No one here has seen the virus progress, right? We don't know if you're infected,” Kihyun points out.

“Why don't you just trust me? What is so bad about me?”

Changkyun interrupts. “I'm siding with Hyungwon on this. He isn't coughing up blood.”

Kihyun rolls his eyes. “Of course you are. Fine. When he coughs on you, don't talk to me. I'll sleep in the weightlifting room if anyone needs me.”

Before Hyungwon can protest, Kihyun is gone, leaving the room with high tensions. Minhyuk sighs as he stares up at the ceiling, and Changkyun goes back to sleep, pretending as if nothing happened to begin with. It bothers Hyungwon how easily they will turn their backs on each other. No one trusts one another.

Kihyun doesn't belong here. He isn't meant to work with a group. He is too stubborn, Hyungwon realises. He thinks he is always right, which is a typical quality of a doctor. Still, it doesn't mean he never makes mistakes. 

Hyungwon is sure Minhyuk isn't infected, and he is positive that he had his reasons to keep the cyanide pills away from everyone else. It wouldn't make sense to kill everyone around him.

“Minhyuk,” Hyungwon sits back down on the floor. “Do you get sick often?”

That wasn't the question he actually wanted to ask, but he couldn't bring himself to actually confront him about the pills. It isn't a topic to be taken lightly.

“Yeah. Hey, what did Kihyun say about the medicine we found?”

“Nothing for the common cold. It was just some cancer stuff. You can throw it away in the morning,” he says quietly as he combs through Minhyuk’s hair with his fingers.

The older male looks extremely weak like this. He is covered in sweat and nearly drowning in a blanket. Hyungwon will definitely need to wash his clothes in the sink tomorrow. Minhyuk’s eyes finally fall closed, and Hyungwon thinks he fell asleep since his breathe is evening out.

“I will.” Suddenly, Minhyuk grabs Hyungwon’s hand. “Y-you'll stay, won't you?”

“Aren't we supposed to be two feet apart at all times?” Hyungwon jokes.

Minhyuk squeezes his hand before retracting his own. “I'm serious. You can sleep, but just stay close by. Please.”

Hyungwon hasn't known this man for long. He is suspicious, sneaky, and weird. Additionally, he looks sick right now.

Regardless, Hyungwon really wants to kiss him.

“Hey,” Minhyuk opens his eyes to glare. “Get out of your head and tell me you'll stay.”

“Of course.”

The grin he receives makes his heart pound loudly in his chest.

He wishes they wouldn't have met during an epidemic.

 

-

 

The TV in the far left hand corner of the weightlifting room sounds much louder than it actually is. It is probably because of the words they are saying, but to Kihyun, it feels like they are screaming in his ears. 

A doctor is on the screen. He is wearing a white lab coat and glasses. His black hair is brushed away from his face, and he wears a fake smile, one that Kihyun could recognize anywhere.

“Kihyun,” Changkyun says. “That's-”

“My father.”

He is on screen, talking about something that is surely scripted. To Kihyun, he sounds like a robot. It doesn't sound like the father that he grew up with.

“Doctors are doing all we can to discover a cure, but these things take time. Please refrain from using the emergency number unless someone you know is immune to the infection. This piece of information is crucial. 

“We would also like to announce that the hospital will be locked down with guards surrounding the perimeter. Approved entries only. Additionally, please stay indoors at all times. It is safer for you, as the military was instructed to shoot any infected who attempt to attack and/or spread the infection. Please understand this is for your safety. Thank you.”

The clip restarts itself, but Kihyun doesn't pay attention.

The hospital is on lockdown, and his father is there searching for a cure.

“I know what you're going to-” Changkyun tries to say.

“We have to get to the hospital.”

Hoseok stands up from his spot on the ground and shakes his head. “We aren't relocating, not until Minhyuk is better. He has a high fever, and he is still sleeping. When he woke up, he went back to sleep after ten minutes. He needs to eat and rest.”

Kihyun understands, he really does. When he stormed off the night before, he realized that he should be there by Minhyuk’s side. He should be taking care of him. Minhyuk hasn't done anything wrong. He does look incredibly sick, and he has been sleeping for over 16 hours. He needs to be properly examined.

“Okay. We give him a few days, but then, we leave. Changkyun, you know how important my father is to me.”

Hoseok questions, “How exactly do you know each other exactly?”

“We were friends.”

The lie falls out of his mouth easily, and it's a bit scary to see how easily Hoseok and Hyungwon believe him.

Kihyun continues. “I should check on Minhyuk.”

He makes eye contact with Hyungwon once before leaving the room and entering the main area. Minhyuk is still sleeping, but he has been moved to one of the beds. As Kihyun approaches, his face comes in clearer view, and the sweat shining on his body becomes obvious.

The doctor sits on the edge of the bed and sighs. He takes the small towel Hyungwon put next to the bed and wipes the sweat off of his forehead. Minhyuk shivers.

“Hey.”

Minhyuk looks so vulnerable like this.

That’s when Kihyun realizes he doesn't actually hate him.

Minhyuk’s eyes open slowly, and he blinks a few times. “K-Kihyun?”

“Shh,” Kihyun says softly, putting down the towel and brushing Minhyuk’s hair with his fingers. “You're okay.”

It's a bit surprising when he feels a hand gripping onto his shirt. He looks down to see Minhyuk holding the hem of his shirt, looking like a scared child.

“Don't-”

“I heard you were awake and throwing up a few hours ago. Did you drink water? You must be dehydrated.”

“I'm okay.”

Kihyun nods. “I'm just going to examine you really quick okay?”

“No Kihyun,” Minhyuk protests, “I’m-”

“Hush.”

Kihyun is a bit upset that he has absolutely no equipment, but Minhyuk probably just has a common illness.

He slowly removes the blanket, and Minhyuk half heartedly whines. His body is completely covered in sweat, and his clothes are soaked.

“Actually, let's go get you in the shower, okay? You must feel disgusting.”

Kihyun takes Minhyuk’s hand and pulls him off of the bed. He stumbles when he stands up, but he pushes Kihyun away. Without warning, the doctor moves his hands to press against two spots on Minhyuk’s necks.

Like he guessed, his lymph nodes are swollen.

“It's probably strep throat. I can't do anything to help besides clean you.”

Minhyuk’s eyes widen. “There is no way in hell I am going to let you in the shower with me.”

“What if you pass out?”

“I'm a grown man!”

“You're also a sick man.”

Minhyuk glares at him, but he lets Kihyun walk with him into the bathroom. It’s the coldest room in the building, so Minhyuk is visibly shivering. Kihyun doesn't even ask for permission before he grabs the hem of Minhyuk’s shirt and pulls it over his head. The other groans, but he finishes undressing without a fight.

Kihyun starts the shower water, trying to make it as warm as possible, but not so hot that it burns him. Minhyuk stumbles over and slowly drags himself underneath the shower head, wincing when the water hits his skin. 

“It's so cold and hot,” he whines.

“I know,” Kihyun says softly.

He thinks for a minute before taking off his own clothes and throwing them to the side. Minhyuk doesn't even notice until Kihyun forces himself in the small area that the water is hitting. Neither bothers to say anything or close the curtain.

It's nice. Kihyun likes Minhyuk better when he shuts his mouth.

The sick male looks pretty like this though, dripping from head to toe. Kihyun notices that he is actually good looking now that he isn't getting on Kihyun’s nerves. In any other circumstances, he'd be terrified of getting hard, but he is freezing even if he is only halfway under the water, and Minhyuk is sick.

Minhyuk doesn't make the effort of cleaning himself, so Kihyun is forced to clean the sweat off of him. It's gross, Kihyun thinks: especially since the virus outbreak, he has been more disgusted by germs. Part of him wants to hit Minhyuk and tell him to take care of himself, but the rest of him that likes caring for people tells himself to shut up and enjoy the moment.

Kihyun finally washes the other’s hair, but as he is rinsing it, he feels his heart temporarily stop beating.

“M-Minhyuk?”

“Hm?” He mumbles, half asleep with his head tilted back and pressed against Kihyun’s hands.

“Are you...are you okay?”

He feels Minhyuk nod.

Kihyun takes a step back from Minhyuk, waiting for Minhyuk to turn around to see what he is holding in his hand. When the other does, he sees how wide his eyes are.

“It's nothing,” Minhyuk says softly. 

Kihyun looks at the large clump of red hair in his hand and then back up at Minhyuk. “It’s nothing?”

Minhyuk shrugs and continues to rinse his own hair. His voice is unusually quiet, “Probably from hair dye.”

Looking back down at his hand, Kihyun feels his stomach flip. Something doesn't quite feel right, but he has no reason to doubt Minhyuk. He obviously does dye his hair frequently, and Kihyun has had his fair share of dyeing hair to know how much it damages hair.

Kihyun drops the hair on the floor and turns around to grab a towel. He dries himself and gets dressed. With a sigh, he turns off the water before grabbing another towel and pulling Minhyuk out of the shower to wrap it around him.

“Finish drying off and go wait in the main area. I’ll get you clothes.” Kihyun pauses. “By the way, once you are feeling better, we are going to leave. My father is at the hospital.”

“Okay.”

Kihyun guides Minhyuk out of the bathroom before leaving without another word. He finds Hoseok back in the weightlifting room. Kihyun asks him to find Minhyuk some clothes while he prepares food.

He easily finds the supplies boxes. He searches for food Minhyuk hopefully won't complain about, but something catches his eyes, making him stop.

At the bottom of the box is a small, brown glass pill bottle filled with capsules. Kihyun has never seen anything like it before, especially here. He is in charge of rations, so why has he never seen it before? No one else touches their supplies, at least they aren't supposed to.

He reads the label and feels his stomach drop.

Why would we need cyanide pills? How did we even get them?

Kihyun glances around the weightlifting room. Changkyun is still staring at the TV with wide eyes, and Hyungwon is silently picking at his nails. Is someone planning to kill a member of their group? Is Changkyun capable of murder? What about Hyungwon?

Someone put this bottle in here, that much he knows, which means there is a possibility someone is also stealing their supplies. All the building doors are locked, so it has to be someone from the inside. Would Hoseok do something like this? Would Minhyuk?

Slowly, he goes through the boxes to see if anything else is missing.

All the food is still there, and there is still a decent amount of water remaining. Kihyun looks through the bag of weapons and medicine to find that everything is still there too, except the pills he asked Hyungwon to throw out.

Wait, no, he asked Hyungwon to tell Minhyuk to throw them out. Minhyuk has been practically bedridden. When would he have had a chance to throw them out? There is a possibility Hyungwon just did it himself, but there is also a possibility that the pills were missing before Kihyun asked Hyungwon to trash them.

Is someone giving the pills away to other people, or are they hiding them from the group?

“Kihyun,” Hyungwon calls, bringing him out of his thoughts. “Is Minhyuk okay?”

Kihyun feels jealousy hit him like a train, but he fakes a smile and nods. Hyungwon has a crush on Minhyuk and Kihyun can't do anything about it. It isn't his place to interfere. He'd rather Hyungwon be happy than be miserable because Kihyun is selfish.

Maybe this is what he gets for the way he treated Changkyun. It's probably karma; apparently having his husband cheat on him wasn't enough. 

“Then, we will leave and go to the hospital soon,” Changkyun says.

Kihyun bites his lip. “There is one small detail I forgot to tell you about the hospital…”

He feels both pairs of eyes on him, and he swallows nervously.

“My father doesn't know Changkyun and I are no longer together.”

“Excuse me?” Hyungwon’s voice echoes through the room.

“We are married,” Kihyun says softly. “We aren't together anymore, but we haven't signed the divorce papers yet. We were both too busy. I never told my parents because I didn't want to disappoint them.”

Hyungwon laughs coldly. “And you told me not to trust Minhyuk? You're the one hiding things from everyone.”

“Hyungwon, I-"

“I thought we were friends, but I guess it was one sided.”

Kihyun shakes his head and rushes over to grab Hyungwon’s hand. “That's not true. I always thought of you as a close friend.”

“Leave me alone, Kihyun.” Hyungwon pulls his hand away and storms out of the room.

“You never told your parents?” Changkyun stares at him in disbelief. “You want me to pretend we are still married just to make your father happy? What the fuck?”

“I'm sorry, Kyun,” Kihyun whispers.

“It was a mistake letting you stay, Kihyun. I should have told Hoseok to kick you out on day one.”

Kihyun watches Changkyun leave too, and it hurts even more knowing that he did this to himself.

He sits down on the floor and stares blankly at the wall, listening to the shouting coming from the main room.

He doesn't belong here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on [twitter](https://t.co/dvZ6jEBdw6)! 
> 
> I need mutuals and friends lol
> 
> But thanks for the support and I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank my beta reader for helping me!! :) ily so much!
> 
> I promise I'll finish this up soon, but school has started back and I am starting to work soon...
> 
> Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to someone who barely acknowledges my existence <3

“You can’t hate him forever, you know,” Minhyuk whispers as he squeezes Hyungwon’s hand.

 

Hyungwon retracts his hand and lies down on his back in the second bed next to Minhyuk’s. “I can and will.”

 

“Wouldn't you have done the same? Is marriage really relevant if everyone is dying?”

 

Currently, he hates Minhyuk too. Why does he have to side with Kihyun? 

 

He spent spent hours and hours waiting around and talking with Kihyun; it doesn't make sense that it would never come up. Hyungwon trusted him and told him so many things about himself. Why couldn't Kihyun do the same?

 

If the world is ending, then so be it, but Hyungwon wants to die with friends by his side. He doesn't want his last words to be the end of an argument.

 

“I wouldn't have done the same, but you would've, huh? Every man for himself, right, and then hell breaks loose. Do you really want to live like that, Minhyuk? Spending every night wondering if you can trust the people sleeping next to you?”

 

“Does it matter if we are going to die anyways?” Minhyuk weakly protests.

 

Hyungwon turns on his side to stare at the red-haired male. He is lying in the bed facing Hyungwon, wrapped tightly in two blankets. He looks about the same as yesterday; he is still shivering and drenched in sweat. He looks miserable, but Kihyun had said it's probably just strep throat.

 

Can he trust that diagnosis?

 

“You won’t die, Minhyuk. It'll pass in a few days.”

 

Minhyuk laughs quietly and closes his eyes. “Sure it will. Just like they’ll find a cure in a few days, and everything will go back to like it was before.”

 

Hyungwon doesn't make an effort to comfort him. It isn't his job to keep everyone’s spirits up. It's hard to be positive when there is an obvious divide between Kihyun and the rest of the group. The doctor even slept in a separate room the night before.

 

He stares at the wall behind Minhyuk. The room is only illuminated by the light in the weightlifting room, where Kihyun is. He considers looking for the older male and telling him exactly how he feels about the situation, but yelling at night wouldn't do anyone any good.

 

More importantly, he has to confront Minhyuk about the cyanide pills. He is endangering everyone if he still has them. Kihyun doesn’t deserve to know as far as Hyungwon is concerned. He can handle this on his own without the elder trying to take over. He acts like Hyungwon can’t do anything on his own, but he can!

 

“Minhyuk, we have to talk,” Hyungwon says after a few minutes of silence.

 

“About what?” Minhyuk mumbles, obviously half-asleep.

 

The model sits up. “I know what you're hiding, and I just want to know why.”

 

Minhyuk’s eyes open, and he tenses up. He looks frightened, but he tries to play it off. “I'm not hiding anything.”

 

Hyungwon glances around the room to see if everyone else is asleep. Changkyun and Hoseok are talking in the very far corner. It makes Hyungwon wonder something.

 

Changkyun lied too about being married. Why isn't he getting the same treatment? He clearly didn't tell Hoseok that he is married to Kihyun. It should have came up in a conversation at one point.

 

“Either you tell me why you hid them and where, or I'll make sure you don't come to the hospital with us,” Hyungwon threatens.

 

He doesn't feel right when threatening a sick man. Regardless, he will take Minhyuk to the hospital anyways; he is too sick just to be left alone. Hyungwon isn't cruel.

 

Besides, Hyungwon has a soft spot for him.

 

Minhyuk sits up with his feet flat on the floor before wiping the sweat off of his forehead and pushing his hair back. He props his elbows up on his legs and hides his face in his hands. He breathes in shakily.

 

“I was scared,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. “I was so scared, Hyungwon. When I saw the pills, my immediate thought was ‘I’ll use these if it gets worse.’ I panicked yesterday and hid them with the food, but now I regret that. It's not going to get better. We are all going to die.”

 

This isn't the Minhyuk that Hyungwon knows. This man is clearly depressed and terrified. Maybe it's because he is sick, but he isn't himself. The positive Minhyuk is gone and replaced.

 

The epidemic is changing people.

 

“The government will figure it out. Kihyun’s father is looking for a cure! We will make it, Minhyuk.”

 

“You just don't get it, do you?” Minhyuk struggles to say before violently shivering.

 

“Lie down.”

 

Hyungwon gets off his bed to help Minhyuk lie back down on his side. He pulls up the blanket and makes sure it's tightly wrapped around the older male. Out of curiosity, Hyungwon presses the back of his hand against Minhyuk’s forehead; he is still very warm.

 

“Did you eat today?” He asks, dropping the subject of the pills.

 

Minhyuk was innocent after all. There is no point in questioning him any further. He just wanted to die.

 

Hyungwon needs to get rid of the pills as soon as possible. 

 

“I'm not hungry.”

 

“You seemed perfectly healthy a few days ago. What happened?”

 

The photographer watches as he sits on his own bed. “We spent four days together.”

 

Hyungwon feels a lot better when he sees Minhyuk grinning, and his heart beats speed up. “You're right.”

 

“The truth is that I haven't felt well, but I pretended I was fine. It only got worse though.” He pauses. “Won, let's go to the hospital tomorrow, okay?”

 

Minhyuk extends his hand for Hyungwon to hold, and the younger male squeezes it lightly.

 

“Okay. We’ll go tomorrow.”

 

He lets Minhyuk retract his hand and lies down. He probably won't get much sleep tonight, but he will at least try.

 

They will need all the strength they can get tomorrow when they trek to the hospital.

  
  


-

  
  


Kihyun wakes up to the sun shining on his face and someone harshly shaking him. His first reaction is to hit them, but when he opens his eyes, he finds Changkyun hovering over him.

 

The younger male sits beside him upon seeing that he is awake. “Good morning.”

 

Kihyun stretches and drags himself to sit upright. He rubs his eyes and yawns. “Hyungwon still hates me, I'm guessing.”

 

His eyes settle on Changkyun. He still looks like he always did when they first woke up. His hair is messy, and his clothes are wrinkly. He has small fading lines on his cheek from the pillow. Kihyun always found it cute, and he still does. It is just a different feeling now.

 

Changkyun shrugs. “He is getting Minhyuk ready to move. I’m not angry at you either anymore, but that’s mostly because you look like you need a friend.”

 

“We are going to the hospital while Minhyuk is still sick?”

 

“We are going to the hospital  _ because _ Minhyuk is still sick. He will be fine once your dad looks him over and gets him medicine.”

 

Kihyun glares. “Do you think I'm incompetent? You don't think I can diagnose him?”

 

“You're biased. You shouldn't be treating your friends.” Changkyun smiles weakly. “You always hated when your father had the interesting patients.”

 

Changkyun is right. Kihyun was constantly jealous of his father’s success at the hospital. Everyone respected and looked up to him. He was the most praised doctor, and Kihyun always felt angry for being the last person on a case.

 

“Do you think things will go back to normal?”

 

Out of habit, Changkyun places his hand on Kihyun’s knee. “I do. With you helping your father, I pray that you will find a cure. I believe in you, Kihyun, and I always have.”

 

Kihyun can’t help but smile. “Thank you.”

 

Sometimes he wonders what would've happened if he was more active in Changkyun’s life. Would they have adopted a kid like they planned? Would they still have fallen out of love? Fate is a funny thing, Kihyun thinks. You can't control it no matter how much you try.

 

Some things are destined to be; some things are fated to fall apart.

 

Maybe it wouldn't have mattered what Kihyun did.

 

“Let’s pack up the supply boxes and get moving. It'll be a long walk.”

 

Changkyun squeezes Kihyun’s knee before standing up. He smiles softly one last time and turns around. As Kihyun watches him walk away, he can’t help but think of all the fights they had. It feels like that was forever ago. The epidemic has been going on two weeks maximum if Kihyun’s estimates are correct, but it feels like it started a year ago.

 

Kihyun sighs and runs his hand through his hair. Everything would be a lot easier if he had left Hyungwon with them. He would be better off on his own. Even if he died, at least it would be peaceful.

 

He practically crawls to the supply boxes because they are relatively close. There are three boxes left, one with water and the others with food. It isn’t much to get five people by, but as long as they ration, they should be fine. 

 

He finds the small bottle of pills at the bottom where he hid them. Should he keep them in the box, or leave them at the gym? If someone finds them, they will blame it on Kihyun.

 

Ultimately, he decides on hiding the bottle behind a bench press. He doubts anyone will notice since they are leaving soon. Besides, clearly no one wants to interact with him anyways.

 

Kihyun inhales slowly and closes his eyes.

 

_ Dad will find the cure. I know he will. _

  
  


-

 

Kihyun hands Hyungwon the last box of supplies. “I can carry it,” he offers.

 

“I don’t need your help. Besides, you are responsible for monitoring Minhyuk’s condition.”

 

At least Hyungwon doesn’t completely hate him. They appear to be on speaking terms now, but he doubts they will be friends again anytime soon. Still, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face when Hyungwon asked him if he had eaten breakfast that morning.

 

As they step out and take a last look at the gym, Kihyun can’t help but reflect on their group. Changkyun is carrying the duffle bag, and Hoseok is carrying the two boxes of food. Everyone is helping besides Kihyun and Minhyuk. Does that make them dead weight? The group is better off with a doctor, but Minhyuk is practically a stranger and brings nothing additional. In fact, he actually takes away from the group because he is sick.

 

Kihyun would never kick him out, but there might come a time where they are running low on food, forcing someone to fend for themselves. Would it be Minhyuk?

 

“It’s going to be a long day,” Hoseok sighs, glancing up at the sun high in the sky. “Stay two feet apart, and don’t let anyone close to you. Do not take off your face mask no matter how hot it is. Stay close to the group.”

 

Kihyun pulls up Minhyuk’s mask correctly and wipes his forehead off. “We’ll get you to the hospital soon.”

 

He looks worse than yesterday, and he threw up twice earlier. His hair is incredibly messy and pushed back. Kihyun wants nothing more than for him to feel better.

 

“I’m so tired.”

 

“I know, but you’ll be able to rest soon. I promise.”

 

Without warning, Minhyuk grabs onto Kihyun’s shirt and starts coughing loudly into his mask. Panicking, Kihyun pulls his mask down to allow him to breath better. After a moment, he stops coughing, but he seems to be having trouble breathing.

 

“We can’t go with him like this,” Changkyun tells them softly.

 

“We are going!” Kihyun turns his head to shout. “He needs help, Changkyun! I don’t know what is wrong with him without doing an exam, and does it look like I have equipment? He looks like he is dying. Do you want to spend the rest of your life knowing Minhyuk might have survived if we left instead of staying?”

 

Minhyuk’s head falls forward to rest on Kihyun’s shoulder. “I still have time left, guys. I’m not dying yet.”

 

“How are you so sure?” Hoseok asks.

 

“I just know, okay?”

 

Kihyun awkwardly places his arms around Minhyuk to steady him. He didn’t realize it was this bad. He thought maybe it would go away on it’s own.

 

Minhyuk takes a moment to recover before stepping back from Kihyun and pulling up his mask. “I’m fine. Let’s just go, okay? I’m already tired.”

 

Kihyun is hesitant to let him be on his own, but he can tell Minhyuk’s mood went downhill at the mention of him possibly dying.

 

Hoseok flashes him a confused look before turning around and beginning to lead them. Slowly, everyone follows, and Minhyuk and Kihyun fall in the back of the group. It doesn't take even a few minutes for them to notice Minhyuk won’t be able to keep up with the group. Hoseok purposely slows his walking speed down, but Kihyun can tell how annoyed they are at the slow pace.

 

When Kihyun tries to grab Minhyuk’s arm, he gets smacked. Huffing, the younger of the two crosses his arms and decides to focus on the view surrounding them.

 

It isn't pretty.

 

The streets are mostly clear of living people, but Kihyun almost feels sick to his stomach when he notices just how many bodies are on the ground, lifeless. It shouldn't make him sick, but he isn't equipped to see a mass epidemic wipe away his town. Bodies are stacked up, covered in various amounts of blood and some even have vomit on them.

 

“Don’t look,” Kihyun quietly warns them.

 

“How can you just pretend this isn't going on? That we aren't going to end up just like them?” Hyungwon whisper-yells.

 

Kihyun sighs. “We aren't. We are going to find my dad.”

 

After a few minutes, Hoseok stops dead in his tracks, causing Changkyun to run into him. “How the hell are we going to get into the hospital? It's practically on lockdown to protect the healthy doctors. You think we can just walk up and demand to go inside?”

 

Changkyun sets down the duffle bag, and everyone else follows, setting down their supplies. Defeated, Minhyuk sits on the ground.

 

“Hoseok’s right,” Changkyun agrees. “I doubt they will let us in there even if we ask nicely, especially with how sick Minhyuk is, and your father won't leave his work long enough to confirm that you are his son.”

 

Kihyun understands that. His father isn't easily distracted, especially now since the fate of the city rests on his shoulders. The hospital wouldn't want a sick person to enter and get all the doctors sick too. There would be no one to find a cure then.

 

Hyungwon shakes his head. “But Kihyun worked there? They should be able to recognize him!”

 

“Maybe, if we are lucky,” the oldest sighs. “It’s on lockdown though. They probably wouldn't even want the richest guy in the city to enter just because it is a huge risk.”

 

“We can’t trash the plan,” Kihyun argues. “Minhyuk has to get to a hospital, seriously. We can't keep waiting and and watching him die!”

 

The group falls silent, only the sound of the wind filling the space. The streets are dead silent, and Kihyun suspects half of the city is already dead.

 

He doesn't know what to say to make them feel better. It would be awful if they walked the entire way just to find that they aren't allowed inside, but it would be worse never knowing if they could have saved him. Hoseok does have a point; there is a low chance that they would enter, but it's possible. Kihyun is counting on the fact that maybe his father will be human enough to see if his son really is outside of the hospital.

 

If he isn't, Kihyun doesn't know what they will do.

 

“We have to trust fate,” Hyungwon finally says. “We have to believe that we can make it through.”

 

Hoseok sighs. “I'm only doing this because you're my best friend, okay? Fine, we will go to the hospital, and when they won't let us in, we will find a new base.”

 

Kihyun glances at Minhyuk, hoping to see him looking pleased, but instead he finds that the older male is staring at the ground. He looks almost lifeless; it reminds Kihyun of the bodies on the streets.

 

“Minhyuk?”

 

“I don’t think I can make it.”

 

“Then, we will take turns carrying you.” Without a warning, Kihyun grabs his wrist and pulls him up.

 

Getting the hint, Minhyuk quietly stands behind him and wraps his arms around his neck. He jumps up, wrapping his legs around Kihyun’s waist, and the other man's hands find their way to the back of his knees. Minhyuk certainly isn't light, but Kihyun will get him to the hospital even if he has to die in doing so.

 

He just might. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on [twitter](https://t.co/dvZ6jEBdw6)! 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that's the end of part 1 :)
> 
> Follow me on [twitter](https://t.co/dvZ6jEBdw6)! 
> 
> Whenever I write, I usually tweet about my suffering. Plus i need friend and mutuals


End file.
